In a speech to the National Public Pension Council in Washington, DC, DiNapoli said 401(k) plans “have proven to be woefully inadequate for those who rely on them for their primary retirement income.”

Cuomo wants to offer future government workers a choice. He says his proposal will save the city $30 billion and the state and other localities an additional $83 billion over 30 years.

DiNapoli, a fellow Democrat who rode union support to a narrow 2010 victory, cast state pensions as modest and affordable yesterday despite warnings from Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg about skyrocketing costs.

Public and private New York labor unions are already promising to fight Cuomo’s plan.